Went to GameStop to buy a gift and the person in front of me was trying to pay for a Nintendo Wii with her EBT card. Turns out GameStop doesn't take EBT, but the ATM across the street did. She ran over there while I was checking out and came back with cash for her Wii when I was leaving.

stpauler:Went to GameStop to buy a gift and the person in front of me was trying to pay for a Nintendo Wii with her EBT card. Turns out GameStop doesn't take EBT, but the ATM across the street did. She ran over there while I was checking out and came back with cash for her Wii when I was leaving.

I read it as "Mass becomes the 34th state to allow people to use their debit cards to buy lottery tickets.

True, that is what the article is mainly about. It just does mention people could use their electronic welfare cards and that the state is putting rules in place to stop it. Rules probably hinging on an underpaid gas station cashier who doesn't really care to add one more unpaid responsibility to all the other things that fall on his shoulders like liquor and cigarette laws.Worked at a Walgreen's once, and a family had three food stamp cards. One, I assume, for every adult member of the family. "Hey, this one's out! Get the other one!" and hell, I even wrote a letter to the governor, which was Nikki Haley in SC, hoping if that Republican coont was going to do anything, she might as well stop welfare fraud. Got a letter back saying I needed to blame the Department of Agriculture for food stamp standards....

The_Sponge:stpauler: Went to GameStop to buy a gift and the person in front of me was trying to pay for a Nintendo Wii with her EBT card. Turns out GameStop doesn't take EBT, but the ATM across the street did. She ran over there while I was checking out and came back with cash for her Wii when I was leaving.

/CSB

Disgusting.

It could very well be that this person wanted to get something nice for the kids who have an otherwise crappy existence (oh, that's right, welfare pays well, public housing consists of mansions in a nicer part of town than you live it, and the free school lunch is better than what your kids get).They could have, just possibly, set aside a meager portion of their already meager cash benefit every month long enough to pay for the Wii, rather than getting one from Rent-A-Center, which is usually what the poor would do.

These people should be shot, and their remains fed to other poor people as a warning./mostly snark

Sergeant Grumbles:Rules probably hinging on an underpaid gas station cashier who doesn't really care to add one more unpaid responsibility to all the other things that fall on his shoulders like liquor and cigarette laws.

The point of sale equipment should handle that at most chain-affiliate stores. They already have programming for what's food-stamp eligible/not-food-stamp eligible, HSA-qualified/not, etc, etc depending on the type of card swiped.

Sergeant Grumbles:True, that is what the article is mainly about. It just does mention people could use their electronic welfare cards and that the state is putting rules in place to stop it.

Meh there's a bunch of crap that you can't buy with EBT. One more thing isn't going to kill anybody. These people couldn't accept EBT for lottery tickets before, and they still can't. You're not adding more work for these people. If I had an EBT and walked up to you with some banana, ramen, and asked for 5 $1 scratchers, I wouldn't be able to use my EBT for that whole transaction, I would have to have two transactions. That is still the case now.

If anything, the workload for these people is reduced because the people who want to pay for their beer, porn, cigs, milk, eggs, and lottery tickets with a regular debit card now only need to use one transaction.

Lawnchair:Sergeant Grumbles: Rules probably hinging on an underpaid gas station cashier who doesn't really care to add one more unpaid responsibility to all the other things that fall on his shoulders like liquor and cigarette laws.

The point of sale equipment should handle that at most chain-affiliate stores. They already have programming for what's food-stamp eligible/not-food-stamp eligible, HSA-qualified/not, etc, etc depending on the type of card swiped.

Most POS systems I've seen do have a way of separating the EBT/Food Stamp transactions. However in many states (MA being one of them), the EBT machine in smaller stores is a separate unit, not integrated with the register.

So once they clear the EBT funds, they can then just go ahead and ring it through as whatever transaction type they'd like at the register to bypass the EBT restrictions. If there's no sort of oversight by the state government to match up daily EBT transactions with daily EBT receipts (which would be hugely expensive given all the little mom & pop convenience stores that accept it), and the store owner/management doesn't care (they get their money, so most don't care about the distinction), this will continue to happen.

I've always thought there should be one store per county (maybe two or three for larger counties) that was the only store that would accept EBT benefits. A giant mega-grocery store that stocks cheap healthy foods (at a low profit margin, just enough to pay for expenses) and was well serviced by public transportation. But that might be unfair to some people (and business owners who rely on the extra revenue EBT brings, regardless of what they sell)

DoughyGuy:Lawnchair: Sergeant Grumbles: Rules probably hinging on an underpaid gas station cashier who doesn't really care to add one more unpaid responsibility to all the other things that fall on his shoulders like liquor and cigarette laws.

The point of sale equipment should handle that at most chain-affiliate stores. They already have programming for what's food-stamp eligible/not-food-stamp eligible, HSA-qualified/not, etc, etc depending on the type of card swiped.

Most POS systems I've seen do have a way of separating the EBT/Food Stamp transactions. However in many states (MA being one of them), the EBT machine in smaller stores is a separate unit, not integrated with the register.

So once they clear the EBT funds, they can then just go ahead and ring it through as whatever transaction type they'd like at the register to bypass the EBT restrictions. If there's no sort of oversight by the state government to match up daily EBT transactions with daily EBT receipts (which would be hugely expensive given all the little mom & pop convenience stores that accept it), and the store owner/management doesn't care (they get their money, so most don't care about the distinction), this will continue to happen.

I've always thought there should be one store per county (maybe two or three for larger counties) that was the only store that would accept EBT benefits. A giant mega-grocery store that stocks cheap healthy foods (at a low profit margin, just enough to pay for expenses) and was well serviced by public transportation. But that might be unfair to some people (and business owners who rely on the extra revenue EBT brings, regardless of what they sell)

I always thought that places that accept EBT should not be able to sell lottery tickets, and that gas stations should never be allowed to accept EBT.

EBT card can basically be used as a debit card apparently. Some places have the option to use cash on your card rather than food stamps. Never messed with it myself, so I'm not exactly sure how it all works, if the same restrictions on on what you can buy exist or whatever.

buzzcut73:It could very well be that this person wanted to get something nice for the kids who have an otherwise crappy existence (oh, that's right, welfare pays well, public housing consists of mansions in a nicer part of town than you live it, and the free school lunch is better than what your kids get).They could have, just possibly, set aside a meager portion of their already meager cash benefit every month long enough to pay for the Wii, rather than getting one from Rent-A-Center, which is usually what the poor would do.

These people should be shot, and their remains fed to other poor people as a warning./mostly snark

drjekel_mrhyde:You people do know EBT cards can have a Cash balance and Food stamp balance? It depends if the person qualify for just stamps or cash and stamps./Worked as a cashier at Dominick's(Safeway)years back

Ah, I did know this, but dunno how it works. Never cared to have cash on it anyway, but was mildly curious when I started noticing that option coming up back in the day.

I read it as "Mass becomes the 34th state to allow people to use their debit cards to buy lottery tickets.

True, that is what the article is mainly about. It just does mention people could use their electronic welfare cards and that the state is putting rules in place to stop it. Rules probably hinging on an underpaid gas station cashier who doesn't really care to add one more unpaid responsibility to all the other things that fall on his shoulders like liquor and cigarette laws.Worked at a Walgreen's once, and a family had three food stamp cards. One, I assume, for every adult member of the family. "Hey, this one's out! Get the other one!" and hell, I even wrote a letter to the governor, which was Nikki Haley in SC, hoping if that Republican coont was going to do anything, she might as well stop welfare fraud. Got a letter back saying I needed to blame the Department of Agriculture for food stamp standards....

She was right I mean if we cut back on the amount of food assistance money that is paid out then the big Agri Business, not to mention grocery stores, warehouses, etc... would lose money. It is really disgusting that these programs are nothing more then disguised corporate subsidy programs.

Frank N Stein:buzzcut73: It could very well be that this person wanted to get something nice for the kids who have an otherwise crappy existence (oh, that's right, welfare pays well, public housing consists of mansions in a nicer part of town than you live it, and the free school lunch is better than what your kids get).They could have, just possibly, set aside a meager portion of their already meager cash benefit every month long enough to pay for the Wii, rather than getting one from Rent-A-Center, which is usually what the poor would do.

These people should be shot, and their remains fed to other poor people as a warning./mostly snark

Exactly. The money would be better back in taxpayer pockets or used to improve schools or pay down debt rather than used for a toy. I know the logistics of ensuring that benefits aren't used for non-essentials are difficult, but conceptually benefits shouldn't be buying toys or any unnecessary items.

drjekel_mrhyde:You people do know EBT cards can have a Cash balance and Food stamp balance? It depends if the person qualify for just stamps or cash and stamps./Worked as a cashier at Dominick's(Safeway)years back

Dreamy LaTwitch:drjekel_mrhyde: You people do know EBT cards can have a Cash balance and Food stamp balance? It depends if the person qualify for just stamps or cash and stamps./Worked as a cashier at Dominick's(Safeway)years back

Ah, I did know this, but dunno how it works. Never cared to have cash on it anyway, but was mildly curious when I started noticing that option coming up back in the day.

In Oregon you have several options. Most people just get foodstamps, but if you have dependent children you can also apply for cash benefits. Both are put on your EBT card each month (Oregon Trail card) with the cash on the first of the month and the food stamps being available based on the last digit of your SSN (i.e. if it's 3, your food stamp balance is available on the 3rd of the month). The POS machine has options for you to pick depending on whether you're buying non-food items or food items. If you're buying both, it separates them out, taking out cash benefits for the non-food items, food stamps for the food items.

Slaves2Darkness:Sergeant Grumbles: The Homer Tax: That's an interesting way to read that article.

I read it as "Mass becomes the 34th state to allow people to use their debit cards to buy lottery tickets.

True, that is what the article is mainly about. It just does mention people could use their electronic welfare cards and that the state is putting rules in place to stop it. Rules probably hinging on an underpaid gas station cashier who doesn't really care to add one more unpaid responsibility to all the other things that fall on his shoulders like liquor and cigarette laws.Worked at a Walgreen's once, and a family had three food stamp cards. One, I assume, for every adult member of the family. "Hey, this one's out! Get the other one!" and hell, I even wrote a letter to the governor, which was Nikki Haley in SC, hoping if that Republican coont was going to do anything, she might as well stop welfare fraud. Got a letter back saying I needed to blame the Department of Agriculture for food stamp standards....

She was right I mean if we cut back on the amount of food assistance money that is paid out then the big Agri Business, not to mention grocery stores, warehouses, etc... would lose money. It is really disgusting that these programs are nothing more then disguised corporate subsidy programs.

How do you figure? Should these businesses not make a profit on their operations?

A very simple example with realistic profit margins:

A farm produces goods that cost it $20 to produce, selling it to a distributor for $23. The distributor spends another dollar for shipping and sells it to a supermarket chain for $25, the supermarket chain spends another $2 for storage/operational costs and sells it for $30 to someone using food stamps.

The government paid $30 out in food stamps, of which it probably got $2 or $3 back in taxes on the profits for the intermediaries and salaries for their employees.

LarryDan43:Don't the proceeds from lottery tickets go to fund schools and other state programs? Why not let poor people give back? Or are they just afraid they might win?

Well, lotteries are a sucker bet, but almost half of gross lotter revenues goes out in prizes. So if a state gives someone a dollar and they buy a lotto ticket, only 60 cents comes back to the state. The point is that it would be better if the entire dollar stayed with the state rather than the beneficiary getting, on average, 40 cents worth of winnings, by buying something they clearly don't need.

Debeo Summa Credo:LarryDan43: Don't the proceeds from lottery tickets go to fund schools and other state programs? Why not let poor people give back? Or are they just afraid they might win?

Well, lotteries are a sucker bet, but almost half of gross lotter revenues goes out in prizes. So if a state gives someone a dollar and they buy a lotto ticket, only 60 cents comes back to the state. The point is that it would be better if the entire dollar stayed with the state rather than the beneficiary getting, on average, 40 cents worth of winnings, by buying something they clearly don't need.

You could play it like the casinos. Allow everyone to play but only pay out when the winner is actually eligible to have played.

You sound like someone that doesn't understand you only live once. Why does a child on welfare deserve to not have fun? Is it it only the middle and upper class that deserve to have a little fun?

Debeo Summa Credo:Frank N Stein: buzzcut73: It could very well be that this person wanted to get something nice for the kids who have an otherwise crappy existence (oh, that's right, welfare pays well, public housing consists of mansions in a nicer part of town than you live it, and the free school lunch is better than what your kids get).They could have, just possibly, set aside a meager portion of their already meager cash benefit every month long enough to pay for the Wii, rather than getting one from Rent-A-Center, which is usually what the poor would do.

These people should be shot, and their remains fed to other poor people as a warning./mostly snark

Exactly. The money would be better back in taxpayer pockets or used to improve schools or pay down debt rather than used for a toy. I know the logistics of ensuring that benefits aren't used for non-essentials are difficult, but conceptually benefits shouldn't be buying toys or any unnecessary items.

buzzcut73:It could very well be that this person wanted to get something nice for the kids who have an otherwise crappy existence (oh, that's right, welfare pays well, public housing consists of mansions in a nicer part of town than you live it, and the free school lunch is better than what your kids get).They could have, just possibly, set aside a meager portion of their already meager cash benefit every month long enough to pay for the Wii, rather than getting one from Rent-A-Center, which is usually what the poor would do.

I'd describe my family as "working poor" when I was growing up. We had some nice things, but my family never had food stamps. I wouldn't describe my existence as a kid as "crappy" just because I couldn't get a Commodore 64 or Apple IIE like some friends had. Just possibly had my parents had the equivalent of EBT I might have learned "this is how you get stuff" rather than "I'm gonna work my way through college so I won't be po no mo"

get real:You sound like someone that doesn't understand you only live once. Why does a child on welfare deserve to not have fun? Is it it only the middle and upper class that deserve to have a little fun?

Debeo Summa Credo: Frank N Stein: buzzcut73: It could very well be that this person wanted to get something nice for the kids who have an otherwise crappy existence (oh, that's right, welfare pays well, public housing consists of mansions in a nicer part of town than you live it, and the free school lunch is better than what your kids get).They could have, just possibly, set aside a meager portion of their already meager cash benefit every month long enough to pay for the Wii, rather than getting one from Rent-A-Center, which is usually what the poor would do.

These people should be shot, and their remains fed to other poor people as a warning./mostly snark

Exactly. The money would be better back in taxpayer pockets or used to improve schools or pay down debt rather than used for a toy. I know the logistics of ensuring that benefits aren't used for non-essentials are difficult, but conceptually benefits shouldn't be buying toys or any unnecessary items.

They can have all the fun they want but I don't want to be forced to pay for it. I' don't mind my taxes going to provide underpriviledged children with food, clothing, medicine, schooling, housing, electricity, or heat, etc., but I personally draw the line at anything that isn't necessary. Toys aren't necessary.

Frank N Stein:buzzcut73: It could very well be that this person wanted to get something nice for the kids who have an otherwise crappy existence (oh, that's right, welfare pays well, public housing consists of mansions in a nicer part of town than you live it, and the free school lunch is better than what your kids get).They could have, just possibly, set aside a meager portion of their already meager cash benefit every month long enough to pay for the Wii, rather than getting one from Rent-A-Center, which is usually what the poor would do.

These people should be shot, and their remains fed to other poor people as a warning./mostly snark

Debeo Summa Credo:get real: You sound like someone that doesn't understand you only live once. Why does a child on welfare deserve to not have fun? Is it it only the middle and upper class that deserve to have a little fun?

Debeo Summa Credo: Frank N Stein: buzzcut73: It could very well be that this person wanted to get something nice for the kids who have an otherwise crappy existence (oh, that's right, welfare pays well, public housing consists of mansions in a nicer part of town than you live it, and the free school lunch is better than what your kids get).They could have, just possibly, set aside a meager portion of their already meager cash benefit every month long enough to pay for the Wii, rather than getting one from Rent-A-Center, which is usually what the poor would do.

These people should be shot, and their remains fed to other poor people as a warning./mostly snark

Exactly. The money would be better back in taxpayer pockets or used to improve schools or pay down debt rather than used for a toy. I know the logistics of ensuring that benefits aren't used for non-essentials are difficult, but conceptually benefits shouldn't be buying toys or any unnecessary items.

They can have all the fun they want but I don't want to be forced to pay for it. I' don't mind my taxes going to provide underpriviledged children with food, clothing, medicine, schooling, housing, electricity, or heat, etc., but I personally draw the line at anything that isn't necessary. Toys aren't necessary.

I'd hate to see what happens to your blood pressure if somebody lets you in on how college students spend their federal student aid like Pell grants and subsidized loans. Your precious tax dollars are buying way more than a Will here and there.

buzzcut73:Debeo Summa Credo: get real: You sound like someone that doesn't understand you only live once. Why does a child on welfare deserve to not have fun? Is it it only the middle and upper class that deserve to have a little fun?

Debeo Summa Credo: Frank N Stein: buzzcut73: It could very well be that this person wanted to get something nice for the kids who have an otherwise crappy existence (oh, that's right, welfare pays well, public housing consists of mansions in a nicer part of town than you live it, and the free school lunch is better than what your kids get).They could have, just possibly, set aside a meager portion of their already meager cash benefit every month long enough to pay for the Wii, rather than getting one from Rent-A-Center, which is usually what the poor would do.

These people should be shot, and their remains fed to other poor people as a warning./mostly snark

Exactly. The money would be better back in taxpayer pockets or used to improve schools or pay down debt rather than used for a toy. I know the logistics of ensuring that benefits aren't used for non-essentials are difficult, but conceptually benefits shouldn't be buying toys or any unnecessary items.

They can have all the fun they want but I don't want to be forced to pay for it. I' don't mind my taxes going to provide underpriviledged children with food, clothing, medicine, schooling, housing, electricity, or heat, etc., but I personally draw the line at anything that isn't necessary. Toys aren't necessary.

I'd hate to see what happens to your blood pressure if somebody lets you in on how college students spend their federal student aid like Pell grants and subsidized loans. Your precious tax dollars are buying way more than a Will here and there.

They're using it to pay the ridiculously inflated tuition prices that Pell Grants and subsidized loans encourage. And yeah, that pisses me off too.

buzzcut73:The_Sponge: stpauler: Went to GameStop to buy a gift and the person in front of me was trying to pay for a Nintendo Wii with her EBT card. Turns out GameStop doesn't take EBT, but the ATM across the street did. She ran over there while I was checking out and came back with cash for her Wii when I was leaving.

/CSB

Disgusting.

It could very well be that this person wanted to get something nice for the kids who have an otherwise crappy existence (oh, that's right, welfare pays well, public housing consists of mansions in a nicer part of town than you live it, and the free school lunch is better than what your kids get).They could have, just possibly, set aside a meager portion of their already meager cash benefit every month long enough to pay for the Wii, rather than getting one from Rent-A-Center, which is usually what the poor would do.

These people should be shot, and their remains fed to other poor people as a warning./mostly snark

stpauler:Went to GameStop to buy a gift and the person in front of me was trying to pay for a Nintendo Wii with her EBT card. Turns out GameStop doesn't take EBT, but the ATM across the street did. She ran over there while I was checking out and came back with cash for her Wii when I was leaving.

LouDobbsAwaaaay:Is "buying lottery tickets with your food stamps" functionally different than "returning the value of your food stamps to the government"? It seems like we should be encouraging this policy.

I know us Farkers have somewhat a functioning brain, so when these lazy idiots abuse the system, we all growl and snarl about how they gov't let's them take our money.

But, with that said...if one of these dumbasses does actually win the lottery, let's be realistic, that poor fool will be a poor fool after pouring said winnings back into the economy in no time.

Frank N Stein:buzzcut73: It could very well be that this person wanted to get something nice for the kids who have an otherwise crappy existence (oh, that's right, welfare pays well, public housing consists of mansions in a nicer part of town than you live it, and the free school lunch is better than what your kids get).They could have, just possibly, set aside a meager portion of their already meager cash benefit every month long enough to pay for the Wii, rather than getting one from Rent-A-Center, which is usually what the poor would do.

These people should be shot, and their remains fed to other poor people as a warning./mostly snark